Taking Care
by nightxinxthextwlight
Summary: Zoisite has put up with so much, and keeps mostly to himself about it. When his roommate begins to understand everything, will he let Jadeite in and open up? Zoisite/Jadeite, more of a friendship.


**Title:** Taking Care.

**Rating: **K+.

**Pairing: **Zoisite/Jadeite, more of a friendship than relationship.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of these characters. No matter how many times I claim to be Zoisite (even though I'm a girl - and yes, I know he was a woman in the North American dub, I did grow up with it!) and how much I'd love to make Jadeite my own, both are property of Naoko Takeuchi.

**Notes:** Sorry for the lame title, I honestly could not think of anything else. I'm also planning a fic - nothing to do with this oneshot, this was just to kill some time - but when I get around to starting it, take a look. Alrighty?

Taking Care

"Dare I ask what you have been doing?"

Zoisite flushed when he heard the voice. He didn't need to turn around to know who had spoken. "I don't know what you're talking about, Jadeite."

"You're soaked from head to foot!"

Of course he had been soaked from head to foot. Zoisite happened to get into a little argument with one of his superiors, by the lake, and managed to get shoved into the lake. Not that he could do anything about it, Nephrite would have had him dismissed immediately if Zoisite had taken one action against him. The copper haired boy would gladly leave his position if it meant burning Nephrite down to a crisp, but something in the back of his mind was holding him back. He wasn't necessarily sure what it was, but for the time being, he decided not to question it.

"I went for a swim, in the lake a mile away."

"A _swim_?" Jadeite raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? Then why are your clothes wet?"

Gritting his teeth, Zoisite replied, "I chose to wear them." Not that it would be a far fetched idea, at this time of year the late was bound to be fairly cold.

"Why - nevermind, it's no use. You should warm up, else you'll catch pneumonia."

"Like you really care if I catch pneumonia."

Jadeite shrugged, "It doesn't matter to me, honestly. But considering you're my roommate, for whatever reason I'd love to question, I'd rather save myself from having to care for you."

Zoisite groaned, but he knew that Jadeite was right. If he didn't want to be sick in bed, then he might as well get himself warmed up. The blond let the younger boy walk ahead of him, and snickered at Zoisite's irritated grumbling. He didn't know why, but he felt the need to make sure the boy took care of himself, no matter how much he assured the both of him that he didn't care. If anyone asked him, he would have simply said that he was trying to achieve a higher rank by being demanding, but his voice never really had a demanding tone when he spoke to the copper haired boy.

"Are you going to tell me the truth about the lake?"

"I _am_ telling the truth!"

"Whatever you say," Jadeite rolled his eyes as he spoke, watching as Zoisite opened the door to their room and ushering the boy in, closing the door behind them.

"What reason have you not to believe me?"

"Even you're not stupid enough to swim in water that cold."

Zoisite scoffed, "It's nice to know you think I have an ounce of intelligence among stupidity."

"You have to have learned _something_ from me."

The younger boy grunted at the joke, something uncharacteristic for him, though he didn't feel in the mood to think of any sort of reply. He wouldn't have minded if Nephrite pushed him out of a window, out of the tree, even off the roof, but in the lake was another thing. He was lucky the leaches hadn't noticed him, but it usually took the leaches a while before they could smell flesh. Jadeite grabbed a book and sat himself upon his bed, reading the first line before glancing up to see Zoisite hadn't even stepped out of his wet clothes. Standing, Jadeite stepped toward him and began to unbutton his jacket.

"What are you doing?"

He didn't even bother to look up, "If you're not going to take care of yourself, then I have to."

"I don't _need_ you to take care of me!"

"Obviously you do. If you had listened to me, Nephrite never would have done this."

"How did you know Nephrite was behind this?"

"Just a guess," the blond said as he removed the soaked jacket from his friend, "But you confirmed it for me."

Jadeite hadn't known for a fact that it was Nephrite who managed to get Zoisite all soaked, but the two often quarrelled and had the fiery young boy coming back to the room in many different states. The most memorable time had been when Zoisite had actually returned with a rip in his jacket and blood seeping down his arm. As dangerous as the young boy was himself, Nephrite had all the right to manhandle him and Zoisite had to right to return the action. It was that moment, when Jadeite saw the pain in Zoisite's face, that he knew he had to take care of the boy.

"I wouldn't piss off Nephrite anymore, if I were you."

"I don't mean to! He just -"

"I know, he always eggs you on, but you could ignore him. He's thinking of having you demoted, or even sent away."

The copper haired boy sighed, "Does it even matter anymore?"

"You've worked so hard for this, of course it does."

As Zoisite sighed again, Jadeite looked the boy in the eyes. He knew how hard Zoisite had worked to get where he was, since he was after all the youngest person with such a position. Before Zoisite had come along, Jadeite had been the youngest, hence why the two were made roommates when the younger boy came along. Zoisite began to feel a little nervous, the older boy had never looked at him so seriously and so sadly before. A flutter in his stomach told him to move closer, but his head told him to move away. To make both parts happy, he stayed directly in place.

"Jed," the younger boy began, "I want to be fierce and dangerous."

"You will be fierce and dangerous."

"I want to kill Nephrite."

"Someday, if he is ever relieved of his rank, that may be a possibility."

"You really have faith in me?"

Jadeite smiled, "Of course I have faith in you. You're a beast in there, you just need to unleash that inner demon." This made Zoisite smile as well.

Neither knew how long they stood there smiling at each other. Jadeite knew he felt something for the younger boy, and Zoisite knew he felt something for his roommate as well, but neither knew how to say it. Somehow, their friendship would just be ruined if the information ever left their mouths, so neither said anything at all. The blond boy took one step closer, and wrapped his arms around the copper haired boy. At first, Zoisite didn't know what to do, but he slipped his arms around the other's waist and returned the hug. After an eternity, Jadeite was the first to speak.

"Until you find someone to love and protect you, I promise, I will care for you."


End file.
